1. Unlike the Bears and Spartans, who go straight through to their spring games on March 23, Stanford practices for two weeks, takes a break, then resumes for two more weeks in early April.

(The first session is devoted to fundamentals and first- and second-down plays. The second session is for special situations: red zone, third down, short yardage.)

2. Sections of the following post will also appear on the Merc’s website and in Tuesday’s newspaper. (Here are my Cal and San Jose State previews.)

*** Shaw on the big picture:

“The biggest question I had for the guys is, ‘Are they collectively hungry?’ So far, in the winter conditioning, the older guys have answered that question. There is no Rose Bowl hangover.’’

*** Shaw said the next step for sophomore quarterback Kevin Hogan is to show “command” of the offense.

The three steps in a QB’s evolution, Shaw added, are understanding, command, and mastery. (Andrew Luck in ’11 = mastery.)

*** The search to replace Stepfan Taylor, Stanford’s career rushing leader, begins this week. Anthony Wilkerson is expected to be the No. 1 tailback, at least until Tyler Gaffney re-joins the team in April.

Gaffney rushed for 449 yards in 2011, then spent one unsuccessful season in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization and decided to return to Stanford for his senior year.

Barry Sanders, Remound Wright, Jackson Cummings and Ricky Seale will also compete for playing time.

*** Stanford returns four starters on the offensive line but is looking for two new ones.

Here’s why: David Yankey, who played left tackle last season – and was named first-team all-conference — is returning to his natural position at guard.

(Shaw called Yankey the best pulling guard in the country and said his presence there is vital to maximizing the running game’s potential.)

Sophomores Andrus Peat and Kyle Murphy are the top candidates to take over at left tackle. Khalil Wilkes, who started at left guard last year, is the frontrunner to replace center Sam Schwartzstein.

*** In addition to the departure of All-American tight end Zach Ertz, the Cardinal lost tight end Levine Toilolo and starting receivers Drew Terrell and Jamal-Rashad Patterson.

The quartet only accounted for all 16 of Stanford’s touchdown catches by tight ends and receivers.

Veteran Ty Montgomery is healthy and a good bet to start at one wideout spot, with Kodi Whitfield, Devon Cajuste, Kelsey Young and others contending for playing time.

*** The tight end situation is murky.

Sophomore Luke Kaumatule, who played sparingly last season, is the top candidate to fill the void – and at 260 pounds, he’s big enough.

Other options include Davis Dudchock and several touted freshmen, although they won’t arrive until training camp.

*** Despite the need for tight ends, Ryan Hewitt will remain at fullback.

Geoff Meinken, who missed the entire ’12 because of an injury suffered in the Spring Game, is back to full speed and part of the “fullback pool,” Shaw said.

*** Barry Sanders will be evaluated as a tailback and punt returner as Stanford searches for a replacement for Drew Terrell, arguably its best PR in more than a decade.

*** Kickoff return: Kelsey Young.

*** Backup quarterback Josh Nunes will miss the entire spring after suffering a freak injury during winter workouts. Shaw didn’t disclose the exact nature of the injury but said Nunes’ arm would be in a sling.

Nunes’ absence creates an opportunity for Evan Crower to show what he can do (or not do).

*** Linebacker Shayne Skov will miss the first session of spring practice as part of a “scholastic punishment” for his DUI arrest last winter, Shaw said.

Skov is expected back in school, and on the team, for the start of the spring academic quarter in April.

Okay I jest. Professor Rice is NOT a Black Man…but you do wonder why both Coach Shaw and myself are prettier and what that means.

Coach Johnny

p.s. I have submitted the above frame work to the Stanford Band for a skit next season. They thought it was perfect for their sense of humor! What great kids!

awaiting moderation

sick, JD, just ill.

Coach Johnny Dawkins

Mr, awaiting moderation,

That’s exactly what the Stanford Band said! They said “dope” as well. Then they looked on their schedule to see if the football program has any historic Black colleges on the schedule. Given there were not, it came down to either Army or Notre Dame.

They agreed it was safe given doing it with ND since they wouldn’t expect it and don’t have a large African American student population. Also they are expected by religious doctrine to turn the other cheek and Army might have weapons so that could be bad.

I have to hand to it the Standford band, they are very smart and super funny! What great kids! If the basketball team had individuals like this, we’d in the Final Four!

Coach Johnny

Papa John

Stanford seems to have a lot of depth at fullback, so I’m still a bit confused as to why Hewitt won’t even get a try at TE. What is it about his skill set that’s lacking in an area of clear need?

mk92

@Papa John – purely speculating, but i think Shaw views Hewitt as the best FB, and inasmuch as Stanford is power-first, he wants to do everything to optimize that. That said, even with Hewitt remaining in the FB role, I expect we’ll see him split out wide from time to time or coming out of the backfield more than your typical FB.

Bootlegger

@Papa: I agree that given the depth at FB and RB, it seems that someone could be tried at TE. But maybe Shaw is just confident in the TE’s that he has. I remain surprised by Toilolo’s decision to turn pro — it seems like he could have stayed and developed into a top round pick rather than going out as a low pick/undrafted.

rudruff

Someone is going to reach for Toilolo.

All it takes is for one GM to say “I can make him into an unstoppable red zone threat”. I hope he winds up in a good situation.

Trying to temper my expectations for this year since I spent 2012 season as a nervous wreck each game until we were up by 3 TDs.

Pluto99

I think the average fan underestimates the value Shaw puts on having a top notch FB. Everyone talks about Stanford having a TE driven offense, but that’s because their contribution shows up in the statelines very clearly. I was in the camp that expected Hewitt to move over to TE, mainly because it was the conventional wisdom, but maybe with the loss of Taylor, the running game needs as much of a boost as the passing game, so keeping Hewitt as a veteran in the back field will be an important tool there.

I wonder what Hewitt’s personal feelings on the decision are. I don’t have data, but I’d guess TEs are better compensated than FBs in the NFL these days, and there are more opportunities to make rosters, though maybe he’ll be a clear #1 prospect at the FB position vs. one of many TEs.

I can’t wait for Spring Game.

The Fake Pep Hamilton

Hewitt is going pro in something other than football. Ditto Gaffney.

Meinken is still recuperating and neither he nor Ward are going to remind anyone of Jerry Rice coming out of the backfield.

This offense is in trouble unless two or more of Young, Sanders, Whitfield and Owusu blossom.

These are things that I can say now that I have moved on to cling to the coattails of Andrew Luck.

The Fake Pep Hamilton
The HoosierDaddy Director of Offense
Indianapolis Colts, National Football League

maddogsfavsnpiks

@Red “Wreck” Rudruff, #12

Wow ! i feelya Wreck, but that means you were in knots for at least 3 – 4 hours for 10 – 12 gameday weekends last yr, when Saturdays are s’posed to be for a li’l R n R, not grist mill for the looney bin…

Take courage, i predict things will get slightly better for your heart this year… i think. If all goes right, the OL will come together and be dominant, Luke “Kamakazi” Kaumatule will live up to his TE potential, an explosive RB and WR will emerge, and Hog “Heaven” Hogan will blossom with a year of experience under his belt, and the D ?…if they find the right guy for NG, well.. they’ll be dominant with a capital NCG D !

Did you notice how Coach Shaw said, when recruiting, they look for the players whose eyes remain open at the point, that is, at the precise moment of bone crushing-crunching collision… i don’t know if you’ve ever played ball, but that is EXTREMELY difficult to do ! …and perhaps instructive, metaphorically speaking, for your weekend condition ?

rudruff

It all started in 2011 when Luck came back.

2006 was more morbid curiosity, except for the Washington game when McNally was running the ball back as I jumped up and down on my coffee table screaming “Run you son of a b*$#h!”

Coach Johnny Dawkins

Quick shut out to Coach Ron Crook! Great seeing you around the Farm. Best of luck in WVa.

Coach Johnny

maddogsfavsnpiks

That’s ruddy man…! ….like morbid gnarly… ha

Seems like you godda preddy solidd coffee table tho…

McNally in the Huskie game eh ? …the one win of the year n you tuned in ?! you’re obviously good luck….

You know his mom ?

awaiting moderation

fake coach JD: up here, when we have an ugly stick, we use a chain saw to improve its looks. Try shaving with one and keep your opinions of Ms. Rice to your self and the sheep you’ll ride out on.

All the best with the toilet paper tornequetts. Reall Shur bout
that. Try a cloth one on your neck with a broom handle tightn’er.

Coach Johnny Dawkins

Mr. awaiting moderation,

Peace be with you and also with you! Keep up the good fight. Don’t take any wooden USB drives. The grass is always greener after diarrhea. Speaking of ugly sticks, looks like some on the Farm has been beaten with a palo alto! OMG! Cap to go! And remember, flush twice.

Your Pal,

Coach Johnny

Trees Forever

Awaiting, why would we waste a perfectly good sheep for that? Let him carry his crap out of Arillaga and across the street to his next job at Paly High.

maddogsfavsnpiks

ohhh Trees of a multi-diverse forest, what will we whisperrrrrh when he wins by a whisker at the buzzer wait n see

macbaldy

Pseudo CJD should realize that Stanford’s student body is a non-majority population. Less than 38% of the current undergrads have self-identified as non-hispanic whites. You should know that Stanford is actually a grad school. Grad students are 62% of the total student population. Only 34% of the grad students self-indentify as white.

Those in-jokes is strictly middle school stuff.

NorCal Tree

Pseudo CJD is a Cal weenie. He’s living in the past and coveting the Stanford Axe.

As for the LSJUMB, looking forward to the ND game and a breakout performance regarding Manti Teo’s exploits….imaginary internet girlfriends and slow moving 40 splits at the combine. Plenty of fodder without the race card.

Oh and maddog, not fun to watch another painful JD imposed implosion last night. Brutal! Tick, tick, tick…Time for Bernard to burst the bubble.

not so shur

The LSJUMB Teo show combined with the Cal koach should bring back memories of protesters at the SFO republican convention.

“WE’re Here! We’re (B)eer! We’re not going Shoping”

Brought to us as i recall by Dykes on Trikes.

Now on to les imprtant matters. The idea of MR T being an unstopable end zone threat was totally disabused by his college efforts. I watched him drop numerous balls and have a vertical leap of 8 inches on others. small dbs will always be able to push, shove, mutilate and otherwise suckerpunch larger tight ends under current nfl blind bartemaus rules. His “coming out” was solely because he knew he would be the third option behind any two stanford wideouts and another tight end. In other words, better to go out with 30 catches than with 25. All that is not to say he is not a fine human being, and will probably graduate with a better gpa than i did.

maddogsfavsnpiks

Kindly check, rewind, and reset, your clock again NKT#23 — (btw, any self-respecting Stanford fan with the 3 letters C-a-l in his personal self-chosen-one moniker, ought to be taken out behind the farmhouse and tttthru the ttttrees to the woodshed, where he shall be bent over, pants removed, and severely …………………………………………………..reprimanded !

maddogsfavsnpiks

What’s the deal with the # changes JW ?
Nor___Tree was #23… now #24 !?

maddogsfavsnpiks

i jus read ’bout the 1st open practice …sounds hella-heaven exciting… anyone have a first hand account ? word pics would b great too…